Status Menu:
Name: Toto W. Riddle
Species/Type: Camponotus Ferrum / Terra Husk Juvenile Queen
Affinity: Earth
HP: 71/71 (Regen: 5/day)
Mana: 45/45 (Regen: 0.1/min)
STR: 7.1 (≈497 lbs lifting power; affects defense)
“You could fold thin sheets of metal like blankets with this much STR—or walk through walls.”
AGI: 1.2 (~18 mph run speed; affects body control)
“It’s a good thing you’re not much faster than me. My heart couldn’t take it—and I wouldn’t be able to keep up.”
VIT: 7.1 (+142 HP)
“Beep, are STR and VIT tied together? And why?”
“Beep. Yes. Greater physical power must be supported by structural durability. Otherwise, muscles would tear themselves apart.”
INT: 4.5 (+45 Mana)
“I wish I had that much mana right now.”
Abilities:
? Earthen Bulwark (Aura) – “I am a lucky rock.”
Type: Passive
Effect: Boosts nearby allies’ defense by 15%.
Mana Cost: 1 Mana per minute (sustained)
Cooldown: None (toggleable)
“This aura’s solid—like a rock.”
- Earth Bending (Skill) – “The earth moves to my will.”
Type: Active
Effect: Reshapes terrain for defense or mobility.
Mana Cost: 6 Mana
Cooldown: 30 sec
“This skill is key for any would-be bunker builder.”
- Stoneplate Mandibles (Infused Buff) – “I think you’ll look better covered in stone.”
Type: Active Buff
Effect: Temporarily coats the target in stone armor, doubling defense.
Mana Cost: 10 Mana
Duration: 1 minute or until armor breaks
Cooldown: 60 sec
“This buff might save my life more than once.”
- Egg Production (Hive Skill) – “Every Queen must expand her hive.”
Type: Mana Conversion
Effect: With enough mana, she can produce and hatch various types of Terra Husk ants to expand the hive.
Types / Cost: Worker: 30 Mana | Soldier: 50 Mana | Royal Guard: 100 Mana
Cooldown: 2 hr per hatch
“Toto, are these all the types you can make?”
“Well, there are sub-types. Like Workers who specialize in one job. Tankier, faster, or stronger Soldiers. Smarter, more skilled Royal Guards.”
"That’s good to know. I should get some sleep. Beep, wake me up in the morning," Tom said with a yawn.
"Beep. Good night, Tom."
"Good night, Tom. Don’t let the bed bugs bite," Toto added with a wink before vanishing in a soft flash of light.
Some time later…
"Beep. Tom, it is morning. Please wake up."
"Time to ask around—figure out what happened last night, and learn more about the Whispering Pine Hollow."
Tom stood up and made his way toward the inn’s main hall.
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"Good morning, Brother Liang Shen. Was the room to your liking? Bao Mei, can you get some food for our guest?" came the cheerful voice of Bao Li.
"Good morning, Bao Li. Yes, it was."
"Good morning, Big Brother Shen," Bao Mei chimed in, walking out of the kitchen with a plate in hand. She passed it to Tom with a smile.
"Good morning, and thank you," he replied, accepting the food.
As he started eating, a nearby conversation caught his ear.
"Hey, LiLi, did you hear what happened in front of the Jade Flask last night?"
"I told you to stop calling me that... You know what, never mind. I don’t care anymore. So? What happened?"
"Big Brother Gao Chen said the Hollow Fang mercenary group was attacked by a wandering Spirit Beast in the Pines. They were hired to cull the beast population around the city."
At the mention of Spirit Beast, a shiver ran down Tom’s spine. The hairs on his neck stood on end, and he froze mid-bite.
No… Please no… I should’ve thought of this sooner. This must be one of those cultivation worlds. And if they’re even half like the novels I used to read… I might be screwed. I need to calm down, he thought, forcing himself to keep listening.
"I thought Spirit Beasts stayed far away from cities. Why would one be so close?" Bao Li asked.
"I have no idea," her sister replied. "But Brother Gao Chen said they went into the Pines with six... and only three came back."
"Did Gao Chen tell you anything else?" Bao Li asked.
"Only that they were taken to Magistrate Liu Wenhai’s manor. That’s all he heard from the bar’s customers last night."
"Mei, I need your help in here!" came an older male voice from the kitchen.
"Talk to you later, LiLi," she said quickly, turning to Tom with a grin. "You have a good day, Big Brother!" she added as she disappeared into the kitchen.
"I’ll be right there, Dad!"
By the time Tom finished his meal, his panic had cooled from full house-on-fire to a manageable trash-bin blaze.
"Thanks again for the room—and the breakfast. Both were great. I’d like to pay for another night," Tom said with a small smile, handing over ten copper coins.
Bao Li took the coins with a nod.
"You’re welcome, Brother Liang Shen. Heading out for the day?"
"Yeah, got a few things to look into," he said, glancing toward the door. "I’ll be back later, though. This place has a good vibe."
Bao Li chuckled. "We’ll be here. Stay safe out there—the woods have been restless lately."
"I’ll keep that in mind. By the way, do you know any good bookstores around here?"
"Yes, the Willow Gate Press is one of the oldest bookstores in the city. Business hasn’t been too good lately—not since the owner's father passed away."
"Thank you, and take care," Tom said as he left the inn.
Ten minutes later, he stood in front of Willow Gate Press. The shop's aged wooden sign creaked in the breeze. Tom stepped inside.
A man, maybe mid-thirties, sat behind a low wooden counter, nose deep in a book. He looked up, gave Tom a polite nod, then returned to his reading.
Tom approached the counter. "Do you have any books on the Whispering Pine? Maybe some maps, or a bestiary of local creatures?
The man didn’t look up.
"Fourth shelf on the right. Sixth row, far end." His voice was dry, almost bored—like a man who’d lived every story and found none of the endings satisfying.
"Thank you," Tom said, then muttered under his breath,
Guess he might be one of the reasons this place is going downhill.
Five minutes later, he returned to the counter with a book titled A Guide to the Whispering Pine.
"How much for this?" he asked.
" Ten silvers. No haggling," the man said flatly, already turning a page.
Tom placed the coins on the counter.
"Do you have any books about spirit beasts?"
For the first time, the man stopped reading and looked Tom in the eye.
"Where did you hear about spirit beasts?"
"I heard the Hollow Fang mercenary group was attacked by one last night. I just wanted to find out what could do that to them."
The man snorted.
"Hollow Fang? Just a bunch of bigger ants."
He paused long enough to make Tom wonder if he’d said something wrong.
"Spirit beasts aren’t something you learn about from books," he said quietly. "Not really."
A beat passed. Then he nodded toward a dusty shelf in the far corner.
"Last shelf on the left. Bottom row. The only book there. It might help you understand a little about what spirit beasts are. Ten silver... then leave. I have business elsewhere."
Tom handed over the coins, crossed the room, and retrieved an old and worn book: Follower of an Immortal. As he turned to leave, he felt the man’s gaze following him out.